The present invention relates to a device and a method for allowing performance of several separate treatments of a teat of an animal, wherein the device comprises a cup-shaped body having a surface defining an inner space, which is arranged to receive a teat of the animal and first means arranged to provide a first treatment by supplying a first medium to the teat via at least a first passage having a plurality of openings to the inner space.
It is usual to treat the teats of an animal after a milking process with a mixture comprising an antiseptic medium and a softener, which may be a skin conditioner. The object of the antiseptic means is to prevent bacteria and other micro-organisms from infecting the udder quarter after the milking process is finished. This treatment may be performed by means of a so-called dip-cup. The dip-cup is an open container, filled with a liquid medium comprising an antiseptic means and a softener. Each of the teats of an animal is dipped into the disinfecting medium after the milking process is finished. The dip-cup has to be kept steadily in an upright position during the whole treatment in order to prevent the disinfecting medium in the dip-cup from splash over.
EP 0 945 057 shows a device for supplying a cleaning and/or disinfecting liquid to the teat of an animal by spraying. Spraying elements are provided at an upper part of a teat cup. The liquid is sprayed to the teat, when the teatcup being in a position below the teat. In such a manner, the cleaning and/or disinfecting liquid will be concentrated to the lower part of the teat and the area around the outlet of the teat canal. However, in some cases, it is desired to distribute a treatment medium to the whole surface of the teat, for example, when the medium comprises a softener. Furthermore, it is difficult to spray a treatment medium in a desired direction with a high precision and supply an exactly desired quantity of the medium to the surface of the teat.
WO 01/17337 shows a device comprising a teat-cleaning cup, having an inner space arranged to receive a teat of an animal. The walls of the teat cleaning cup comprises channels having a plurality of orifices provided in a surface, defining the inner space. During a cleaning treatment of a teat, a cleaning liquid is supplied through the channels and is distributed, via the orifices, to substantially the whole surface of the teat. Consequently, such a device provides an effective cleaning of the teat before a milking process.
WO 99/27775 shows a teat cleaning device arranged to perform a cleaning treatment of a teat of an animal in combination with a pre-milking process. The teat cleaning device comprises, in one embodiment, a cylindrical teat cup for receiving the teat and cleaning means in the form of a hose ending in an inlet nozzle through which a cleaning liquid is arranged to be sprayed to the teat. Furthermore, there is mentioned in the application that a sterilising fluid also may be supplied to the teats by the cleaning device before or after the supply of the cleaning liquid. However, the cleaning liquid and sterilising fluid constitutes two different cleaning mediums, which are supplied during the same cleaning treatment of the teat before a milking process of the animal is started.